The invention relates to a motor car seat having a variable-angle seat backrest and an arm support retained on the frame of the seat backrest and foldable down from an essentially vertical erect non-use position paralleling the seat backrest into a lower substantially horizontal use position. In the use position of the arm support, the arm support is caused to maintain its alignment at least approximately during the changing of the inclination of the seat backrest.
An arm support with parallelogram articulation arrangement associated with a vehicle seat is known from German Published Examined Patent Application DE 2 648 951, and produces the advantage that the alignment of the arm support scarcely changes with respect to the seat backrest within the pivoting range of the backrest, and the same conditions therefore exist at all times. However, this parallelogram arrangement limits the pivoting range to a comparatively small range.
The object of the invention is to ensure a constant as possible alignment of the arm support even through a wide pivoting range, so that contact of the arm support with operating vehicle control parts during the pivoting forward of the backrest is reliably avoided.
This object is obtained by having a linkage which maintains the angularity of the arm support even when the backrest is released to pivot forwardly.
In a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention, the control device comprises a first rod guided at one end in a slot of a fixed mounting part, while its other end is attached articulatingly to a deviating member pivotably mounted on a second mounting part, which second mounting part is foldable forwards after the releasing of a catch. The control further includes a second rod articulatingly mounted to and leading away from the deviating member to engage the free end of a lever connected firmly to the pivot axis mechanism of the arm support.
Embodiments utilizing flexible transmission elements may also be used instead of this control device, in which case servo-actuated final control members cooperate with the backrest unlocking means to replace a mechanical positive coupling.
Any luggage items which are present in the movement path of the arm support when the backrest is folded forward, do not cause a destruction of the control device because of an overload safety device defined by a spring arranged in the run of the second rod to keep the second rod from pivoting the arm rest, and which spring reacts to intense pressure loading.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.